Galbula albirostris Latham, 1790

Nominate Subspecies Size

The nominate subspecies of yellow-billed jacamar (Galbula albirostris Latham, 1790) is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long and weighs 16 to 24 g (0.56 to 0.85 oz).

Nominate Subspecies Male Plumage

Males of the nominate subspecies have a glossy copper or purplish crown, emerald green upperparts, a buff chin, white throat, and pale reddish cinnamon underparts.

Nominate Subspecies Female Plumage

Females of the nominate subspecies have paler underparts and a reddish buff throat.

G. a. chalcocephala Size

The subspecies G. a. chalcocephala is also 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) long, but is slightly lighter, weighing 16.9 to 22.9 g (0.60 to 0.81 oz).

G. a. chalcocephala Plumage Comparison

Compared to the nominate subspecies, G. a. chalcocephala has a bronzy purple crown and a darker bronzy green back, a darker chin, and richer reddish cinnamon underparts.

G. a. chalcocephala Sexual Plumage

Males of G. a. chalcocephala have the same white throat as nominate males, while females of G. a. chalcocephala have a reddish cinnamon throat.

General Species Distribution

Both subspecies of the yellow-billed jacamar occur east of the Andes and north of the Amazon River.

Nominate Subspecies Range

The nominate subspecies ranges from the Meta Department of eastern Colombia through southern and eastern Venezuela into the Guianas, and south into northern Brazil.

G. a. chalcocephala Range

G. a. chalcocephala is found along the upper Orinoco River in southern Venezuela, and extends south through southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and western Brazil to northeastern Peru.

Habitat Preference Difference

The two subspecies have slightly different preferred habitats.

Nominate Subspecies Habitat Types

The nominate subspecies lives in primary and secondary terra firme, várzea, and igapó forests. Unlike many other jacamars, it occurs primarily in the forest interior rather than at forest edges, though it often uses openings such as clearings and treefalls.

Additional Nominate Subspecies Habitat

It can also be found in gallery forest and sandy coastal forest.

Nominate Subspecies Elevation Range

It is usually found below 900 m (3,000 ft) in elevation, but has been recorded as high as 1,300 m (4,300 ft).

G. a. chalcocephala Habitat

In general, G. a. chalcocephala has similar habitat requirements to the nominate subspecies, but in Ecuador and Peru it appears to only occur in terra firme forest.

G. a. chalcocephala Elevation Range

In elevation, it has been recorded up to 400 m (1,300 ft) in Ecuador and up to 800 m (2,600 ft) in Peru.